EMDR and more (long post)

[Guest guest]

Hi, all -

 

EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization/ Reprocessing. It's a way of

working to release trauma, physical pain, etc. It's not known exactly WHY it

works, but there is something that happens in the brain in response to

bilateral stimluation while tuning into the problem (bilateral stimulation

was first formulated to be the eye movements back and forth; now some EMDR

therapists use tapping on the client's knees or hands, or an

audiocassette/headphones with alternating clicks).

 

As a therapist trained in EMDR, I agree that it's terrific. However, the

full protocol is somewhat complicated, and my experience is that it's

nowhere near as effective when it's used for self-help as when it's done

with a trained other person.Difficult material CAN come up between sessions,

so a big part of the classic EMDR protocol is devoted to safe place

visualizations, etc., before starting the processing. (One good self-help

technique is the butterfly hug when in distress. Hug yourself, hands on

upper arms, and lightly tap alternately for a while. This is often taught to

children - now adults too! - after EMDR sessions for self-soothing. It often

works!)

 

Fortunately, there are now incredibly helpful self-help techniques. I'd

strongly recommend EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) in which you tap on

certain acupoints on your own body while " tuning into " the problem - trauma,

physical pain, negative self-talk, etc. The theory is that all " negative "

emotions are actually caused by a disruption in the body's energy system,

i.e., the meridians. By tuning into the problem - thus activating the

blockage or other disruption - and then meridian tapping, you can clear the

disruption. It may happen in one round or it may take some digging to find

the deep layers, but an amazing proportion of the time, the difficult

sensation, etc., just clears. With a traumatic memory, for instance, you can

find that you can still remember everything that happens but the distress

just.. clears. Which means you don't act in your daily life from that

distressed place anymore.. amazing changes, often new understandings emerge,

often a sense of peacefulness..

 

With clients, I now use EFT much more than EMDR, and the best part is I can

easily teach them to go home and do it themselves, to help free themselves

from panic attacks, fears, phobias, much physical pain, traumatic memories..

it's freeing and empowering.. and it's on the web in detail.

 

Full instructions, a free downloadable manual, and a huge resource file of

articles about EFT used for just about anything are available at the

www.emofree.com . (No, I'm not affiliated in any way, just a fan. I've

helped free myself from deep negative self-beliefs as well as often just

tapping out the " icks " of the day.) There are other wonderful variations of

the meridian therapies (I'm currently working a lot with TAT - Tapas

Acupressure Technique - and loving it) but the founder of EFT, Gary Craig,

has made so much available at emofree for free that I encourage everyone to

check it out there and try it.

 

There are articles and basic instructions for some of the other meridian

therapies at Christine Sutherland's website www.lifeworks-group.com.au.

That's where I first got basic TAT instructions and began to recover from

mercury poisoning.. but that's another post!

 

In Light,

Noelle

 

 

Noelle Miller, MA, MFT, RM

Energy Psychology, Spiritual Psychotherapy

Usui Reiki Master/Teacher

Los Angeles, CA, USA